Machine for shaping and polishing articles of celluloid and the like



W. GURRY. MACHINE FOR SHAPING AND PULISHING ARTICLES 0F CELLULOID ANDTHE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I2. IQIB.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM GURRY, 0F LEOMINSTEB, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOB SHAPING AND POLISHING ARTICLES 0]? CELLULOID AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 15, 1919.

Application filed June 12, 1918. Serial No. 239,633.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM GURRY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Leominster, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Machine for Shaping andPolishing Articles of Celluloid and the like, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to the shaping and polishing of celluloid andsimilar articles in quantities. Its principal object is to provide forreducing the hand work now re quired in this art.

It is customary for celluloid combs and similar articles to be finishedby handling each one. An operative takes one or two of these articlesand places them against a buffing wheel rotating in a bath containinpumice or ashes. In order to polish an smooth out cutting tool marksbetween the teeth the combs are held by tongs and sedge grass isemployed. These have to be placed very often in practice. On account ofhandling each article separately and holding it for a considerableperiod of time while being polished the labor is a material item in theexpense of the production of such articles, and is particularly so intimes of high wages.

I have found that it is not necessary to use the tongs or grass or tohandle the articles in this slow manner, but that a large number of themcan be placed rapidly on a support and held in such a way that they canbe polished so as to take out the marks of the cuttin tools or the likeby which they are made. hey can be pointed also and can be rapidlyremoved and'replaced.

Reference is to be had to the accompanyin drawings, in which- Figure 1is a sectional view on the line l1 of Fig. 2 of a machine constructed inaccordance with this invention for carrying out the first step of themethod;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central sectional View thereof;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view similar to Fig. 1 of the apparatusfor performin the finishing operation;

Tig. 4 is a plan of the same;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectionalview of the holding means on the drum;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a portion of the same;

Fig. 7 is a similar elevation of a modification showing a comb heldthereon, and

Fig. 8 is an edge view thereof.

5 or other means by which it can be driven.

Where it passes through the tank a tight packed joint is made.

On this shaft between the two frames 3 is located a drum made up of aplurality of disks 6, each secured to the shaft. -These disks support aplurality of bars 7 which are.

fixedly secured to the disks. Each of these bars extends throughout thelength of the drum and constitutes a support for the articles to beoperated upon.

For the purpose of holdin the combs or other articles in position, thears 7 are provided with two hooks 8 arranged to turn so as to clamp andrelease the bars 9 on which the combs are located.

The other machine is shown as involving a tank 10 also adapted to holdwater in which is placed a quantity of ashes or umice or other polishingmaterial. Two rames 11 constitute the supports for the mechanism. Theyare provided with bearings and with a main shaft 12 which extends fromone frame to the other lengthwise of the tank. This shaft is providedwith a pulley 13 or other means by which it can be driven.

On this shaft between the two frames 11 is located a drum made up of aplurality of disks 14, each secured to the shaft. These disks constitutethe entire fixed part of the drum. Each of these disks is provided witha plurality of radial sockets 15 for a series .of springs 16. Thesesprings are fixed at the bottom of the sockets and project from thecylindrical surface of the disks. Those on the several disks are inalinement. They support a plurality of bars 17 which are secured to thesprings 16 by means of pins 200 which are fixed in positlon. Each ofthese bars extends throughout the length of the drum and constitutes asupport for the articles to be operated upon that is capable ofyielding.

For the purpose of holding the combs or other articles in position, thebars 17 are provided with two end hooks 18 arranged to turn so as toclamp and release the bars 9 expeditiously. These bars are alsoiprowidedwith pins 19 extending into holes in the bars 17 or 7. Thus the bars 9can be detached from the drum shown in Fig. 1 and applied to that inFig. 2. The combs are held on the bars 9 by turn hooks 20 and byprojections 21 extending out from the bar 9 so as to be located betweentwo of the teeth of the comb or against some surface of it so asaccurately to locate them. In this way the combs are held firmly down onthe bars 9 but can be released merely by turning the hooks 20.

The frames 11 are also provided with bearings for the ends of a shaft27. This shaft is provided with a pulley 28 for receiving a belt from apulley on the other shaft and rotating it and on it is located a buttingwheel 29. This wheel is made up of layers of carpeting or similar coarsefabric cut out in circular form and pressed together by a couple ofplates 30, one of which is ureter-- ablyfixed to the shaft 27 and theother adiustalo le along it by means of a nut 31. This Ilrum thereforeis cylindrical in shape and furnishes a vehicle for holding some ofthesolid material in the liquid. It is so located as will be seen byreference to Fig. 2 that the combs or other articles held on the holdingdrum will come against it in rotation. It is rotated at a higher speedthan the drum 14 and acts as a polishing wheel.

Inthe form shown in Figs. 7 and 8 bars 33 are employed in place of thebars 17 and they are provided with holding members 34' held bythumbscrews 35 having their outer ends enlarged so as to secure the combs inposition. These bars 35 of course are springsupported like the bars 17.

In the operation of the device the combs are placed on the bars 9 andthey are mounted on the drum 6. Then the tank 1 is filled with watercontaining the ashes or pumice to a level above the top of the drum andthe drum is rotated. This polishes the combs or other articles and forsome purposes they can be re arded as finished. But when a higher p0 ishis desired the bars 9 are released from this drum and placed, stillcarrying the combs, on the bars 17 of the other drum. The tank 10 isfilled with water to a level a little below the shafts. ThisWatercontains the same polishing material as the other. Then the twoshafts are rotated, the shaft 27 being rotated at a much higher speedthan the shaft 12. The result of this action is that in the time that itnow takes to polish a single comb or pair of them a verylarge number canbe polished on one side to such a degree as to take out all the toolmarks and in fact to shape their points in the case of the combs shown.These blanks are cut out in a rather rough manner and this polishingaction virtually grinds the points down tdthe desired degree. The

combs can be turned over in their holders and subjected tothe same(action again when the other side will be ground into shape. This givesthe combsa polishing action all over and greatly improves theirappearance.

Although I have illustrated and described only certain forms of theinvention I am aware of the fact that n'iodifications can be madetherein by any person skilled in the art without departing from thescope of the invention as expressed in the claims.

Therefore I do not wish *to be limited to all the details ofconstruction herein shown and described, but what/I do claim is 1. In amachine for shaping articles of celluloid and the like, the combinationwith a tank for a liquid containing a grinding material, of a drumrotatable'therein partially submerged i-n-the liquid, and yieldingsupports on the drum for the articles to be operated upon.

In a machine for shaping and polish' ing articles of celluloid, thecombination with a tank for water containing a polishing powder, of adrum rotatable therein in the water, supports on the drum yieldinglyconnected therewith so as to be capable of moving in all directions, andmeans on said supports for supporting the articles to be polished.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a tankfor containin water and a polishing powder, of a sha t in said tank, aseries of disks fixed to said shaft and spaced apart thereon, said disksconstituting a drum and extending down into the Water, and barsextending longitudinally and supported by said disks for holding thearticles to be pelished and moving them in the water to shape and polishthem thereby.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a tankfor containin water and a polishing powder, of a sha t in said tank, aseries cfnisks fixed to said 'shaftandspaced apart thereon, said disksconstitutin a drum, each disk having a plurality o sockets in its"surface, springs located in said sockets and projecting therefrom, andbars extending longitudinally of the drum endsa pert-ed by said springsin the disks for hol' ing the articles to be polished.

5, In a machine of the character described, the combination of'a tankfor water and polishing material, of a drumrotabahle therein, a shaftforsuppomimg sald drtun located above the'level of the liquid in thetank, a series of bars surrounding said'drhm and located longitudinally,yielding-means for supportin said bars from the drum, means on sai barsfor holdin down on the surface thereof combsor ot er articles to bepolished, and holding means located perpendicular to the surface ofsaid'bars for engaging the articles at another point, the first named meansbeing adapted to be turned on its axis out of operative position,whereby the articles can be instantly placed in position or removed.

6. In a machine for shaping articles of celluloid and the like, thecombination with a tank for a liquid containing a grinding material, ofa drum therein, yielding su ports on the drum for the articles to lieoperated upon, and a polishing Wheel located in said tank in position toengage the articles on said drum, said drum and wheel both extendingbelow the surface of the water.

7. In a machine for shaping and polishing articles of celluloid, thecombination with a tank for water containing a polishing powder, a drumrotatable therein partly submerged in the water, means on said drum foryieldingly supporting the articles to be polished in a substantiallytangential position, and a polishing Wheel located in said tank androtatable at high speed.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a tankfor water and polishing material, of a drum rotatable therein, a shaftfor supporting said drum located below the level of the liquid in thetank, a series of bars surrounding said drum and located longitudinally,yielding means for supporting said bars from the drum,

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe means on said bars for holding down on the surface thereof combs orother articles to be polished, and a polishing wheel located in saidtank in position to engage the articles held by the drum.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a tankcontaining water and a polishing powder, of a shaft in said tank, aseries of disks fixed to said shaft and spaced apart thereon, said disksconstituting a drum, bars extending longitudinally of the drumyieldingly supported by said disks for holding the articles to bepolished, and a polishing wheel located in said tank in position toengage the articles held by the drum.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a tankcontaining water and a polishing powder, of a shaft in said tank, aseries of disks fixed to said shaft and spaced apart thereon, said disksconstitutin a drum, bars extending longitudinally of the drum supportedby said disks for holding the articles to be polished, a second set ofbars detachably mounted on the first named bars, and readily detachablemeans for holding articles to be finished on the second set of bars.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

WILLIAM GURR Y.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0."

